This forest gem is a rare find

May 2025

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May 2025

The red-crowned kākāriki is mostly restricted to offshore islands. Photo: Michael Szabo
The red- and yellow-crowned kākāriki are emerald gems in the native forest crown. These two long-tailed parakeets embody the vibrant green hues of Aotearoa’s native forests. Little wonder then that, in te reo Maori, ‘kākāriki’ also means ‘green’. Like their bigger and bolder kea and kākā relatives, kākāriki are also curious and energetic. When flying they are […]
Michael Szabo

About the author

Michael Szabo

Michael Szabo is the author of Wild Wellington and Native Birds of Aotearoa, editor of Birds New Zealand magazine, and writes for Greenpeace Aotearoa. He has explored all 14 national parks, the Chatham Islands and the Subantarctic Islands. He has also written for New Scientist, NZ Geographic, Sunday Star Times and The Listener, and is a former editor of Forest & Bird magazine. He has a joint honours degree in communications and cultural studies from the University of Leeds. His favourite food is bagels.

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